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I had planned on doing this post on Monday, but unfortunately, was busy and did not get the opportunity.

There has always been a running joke in my family when someone would complain about the quality of a particular television program, someone would respond with “vast wasteland”.

For those unfamiliar with the origin of the phrase, it dates back to the May 9th, 1961 speech by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Newton Minow. In his speech, Minow condemned the quality of television, stating in part:

When television is good, nothing — not the theater, not the magazines or newspapers — nothing is better.

But when television is bad, nothing is worse. I invite each of you to sit down in front of your television set when your station goes on the air and stay there, for a day, without a book, without a magazine, without a newspaper, without a profit and loss sheet or a rating book to distract you. Keep your eyes glued to that set until the station signs off. I can assure you that what you will observe is a vast wasteland.

You will see a procession of game shows, formula comedies about totally unbelievable families, blood and thunder, mayhem, violence, sadism, murder, western bad men, western good men, private eyes, gangsters, more violence, and cartoons. And endlessly, commercials — many screaming, cajoling, and offending. And most of all, boredom. True, you’ll see a few things you will enjoy. But they will be very, very few. And if you think I exaggerate, I only ask you to try it.

If Minow was not correct in 1961, is there any doubt that if he gave the same speech today he would be correct? Is there anything that is worth watching on television, especially on broadcast television, today?

The proposed redistricting plan for the Virginia House of Delegates is out and it has a pretty major change in it for the southern portion of the county. While the Port Royal precinct and the Bowling Green district stay in the 99th and the Woodford precinct stays in the 54th, everyone else will now be in the 55th district (John Cox) instead of the 97th (Chris Peace) (click the image to enlarge):

The State Senate redistricting plan is out, but there is no change for Caroline County in that: the whole county stays in the 4th district (McDougle).

In my previous blog post, I did not touch on all the comments made during the Planning Commission meeting due to the length of the article. I want to continue and discuss a few more.

After being assured by that infamous multi-named poster from Bowling Green, Paul Reilly/oharascarlett/nativetxlady/Jason Soiman/Susan Sili, that Gilbert Shelton was not confused at the Caroline County Planning Commission meeting, I acquiesce and state emphatically: Gilbert Shelton does not have any problems with old age or confusion. He has absolutely no excuse for his remarks. I guess he just lied—about the reclaimed land not being farmed at Flintsher and stating Vulcan was investing $2,000,000 instead of $10,000,000 and about a bird refuge being on White Marsh which is actually rented for hunting. I guess suggesting that Vulcan would barge all their equipment out before January 1 so they would not have to pay taxes that year is rational. I guess talking about the fictional elderly Raines couple is okay, too. And I guess there is some logical reason he referred to the “Kelo case” twice. (And if anyone out there can figure out why, please post a comment so that I will know.) One thing I want to note, Gilbert Sheldon (to his credit) said “to ensure full disclosure” he noted that the company that he had previously worked for had audited Vulcan Materials Company. (Even after that, Nancy Long, mayor of Port Royal, did not disclose that her husband, Alex Long, is suing Albert Wachtmeister, owner of Black Marsh.)

Wayne Rogers, the general manager at Four Winds Campground, and some other lot owners spoke against the mine. One thing Mr. Rogers was concerned about is the Four Winds Golf Course being adjacent to the mine. I want to note that the driving range at New Post was beside one of Mr. M. R. Fulks’s mines and that the many people who used it did not seem to mind. (The mined area was reclaimed a few years ago and the driving range moved last year a mile or so south on Rt. 2.) But in response to any other complaints from Four Winds, oh my, where do I begin? Four Winds is supposed to be a campground for temporary camping with no permanent structures. Each lot measures 2000 square feet. But guess what? There are year round residents and homes built in this campground. I do believe Mr. Rogers lives there year round. The lot owners who have buildings or additions have not applied for building permits so buildings and additions are not calculated in their property tax (and then of course, the county does not get any money for building permits.) Most trailers are registered in other places so they do not pay personal property to Caroline for these. There are children, whose parents own or rent a campsite, going to school in Caroline County. Who do you think is paying for the overwhelming majority of the cost of the numerous emergency calls to this campground, their children attending school in Caroline, and their part in the deterioration of the roads in Skinkers Neck? Well, that would be Mr. or Ms. Caroline County Average Homeowner, not the residents of Four Winds.

And then there were the two owners (I did not get their names) of a previous section of Four Winds that borders Black Marsh. They are doing business as Four Winds Plantation and they want to have 211 acres with 2181 plats rezoned. For what? Do they want another campground (that is what it is zoned for now) or maybe a mobile home park? I think that is enough said on that subject.

Concerning Senator Warner’s opposition, I did not mention before that his property is 1.5 miles from the proposed Black Marsh mine site and around a bend in the river. He has two King George mines closer (at 0.5 miles and 0.77 miles, respectively) than the Black Marsh site and he is trying to influence what goes on in another county.

John Clarke, a partner in Haymount, spoke against the mine, and said that Mr. Wachtmeister had not approached anyone at Haymount about the proposed mine. And then he turned around and said that Mr. Wachtmeister had spoken to him about it in December at the grocery store. It is my understanding that Mr. Wachtmeister approached all homeowners in Skinkers Neck and the Four Winds management to tell them about the project in December and January. Mr. Clarke is concerned about the Haymount “development” which I restate has not built a single structure since final approval on January 26, 1993. The money held in an escrow as a bond for highway maintenance has been depleted, according to VDOT. The closest point of Haymount to the proposed mine site at Black Marsh is 0.92 mile and the closest point of Haymount to the nearest King George mine is 1.02 miles. As a side note, I was against the Haymount project at the beginning. I was against it for a simply selfish reason: I did not want to live in a town. I acknowledged that George Fisher (the original owner and now a partner) had the right to do what he wanted with his land as long as it did not physically harm his neighbors but I did not want to live in a town. I even went to two meetings about it and then I just decided, “What will be, will be.” The attacks on 9/11, then the economy, then the decision of the first developer, and again the economy have put a hold on this project. I empathize with John Clarke because I know he has put a lot of time, effort, and money into this project but he certainly should know how it feels to have people trying to dictate what you do with your own land.

These comments in The Caroline Progress were attributed to Gilbert Shelton, of the Caroline County Countryside Alliance: “In addition to evidence that Indians inhabited the area, Confederate General Stonewall Jackson had extensive fortifications throughout Skinkers Neck to ward off possible attack by Union forces, noted Shelton.” Kay Watson, who spoke in favor of the mine, repudiated (or as you Palin fans say, refudiated) the claim of any Civil War fortifications near the river by referring to maps made by Jedediah Hotchkiss, General Stonewall Jackson’s cartographer. She said his maps show no camps or emplacements near the river, only on the hills around the river where there are still remnants of gun emplacements. Also, she acknowledged finding Indian artifacts on Black Marsh Farm (where she said her father and uncle were born) but that Indian artifacts are not exclusive to Black Marsh. Mrs. Watson said, “My father found Indian artifacts all along the river from Spotsylvania to Port Royal.” Mr. Jim Raines, who spoke against the mine, supported this statement when he said that he and his father would find them when working the fields on the farm where they lived (Jane Raines Kizer’s farm). I guess the next thing that the socialists decide to do will be to stop farming along the Rappahannock River because of destruction of the Indian artifacts.

Most of the speakers who spoke against the mine were from King George or Port Royal or Portobago, not local residents. I certainly hope that the Planning Commission can see the forest for the trees.

“Socialism is the doctrine that man has no right to exist for his own sake, that his life and his work do not belong to him, but belong to society, that the only justification of his existence is his service to society, and that society may dispose of him in any way it pleases for the sake of whatever it deems to be its own tribal, collective good.” -Ayn Rand

But not to be tedious in enumerating the numerous changes for the better, allow me to allude to one other though last, not least. The new constitution has put at rest, forever, all the agitating questions relating to our peculiar institution African slavery as it exists amongst us the proper status of the negro in our form of civilization. This was the immediate cause of the late rupture and present revolution. [Thomas] Jefferson in his forecast, had anticipated this, as the “rock upon which the old Union would split.” He was right. What was conjecture with him, is now a realized fact. But whether he fully comprehended the great truth upon which that rock stood and stands, may be doubted. The prevailing ideas entertained by him and most of the leading statesmen at the time of the formation of the old constitution, were that the enslavement of the African was in violation of the laws of nature; that it was wrong in principle, socially, morally, and politically. It was an evil they knew not well how to deal with, but the general opinion of the men of that day was that, somehow or other in the order of Providence, the institution would be evanescent and pass away. This idea, though not incorporated in the constitution, was the prevailing idea at that time. The constitution, it is true, secured every essential guarantee to the institution while it should last, and hence no argument can be justly urged against the constitutional guarantees thus secured, because of the common sentiment of the day. Those ideas, however, were fundamentally wrong. They rested upon the assumption of the equality of races. This was an error. It was a sandy foundation, and the government built upon it fell when the “storm came and the wind blew.”

Our new government is founded upon exactly the opposite idea; its foundations are laid, its corner- stone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery subordination to the superior race is his natural and normal condition. This, our new government, is the first, in the history of the world, based upon this great physical, philosophical, and moral truth. This truth has been slow in the process of its development, like all other truths in the various departments of science. It has been so even amongst us. Many who hear me, perhaps, can recollect well, that this truth was not generally admitted, even within their day. The errors of the past generation still clung to many as late as twenty years ago. Those at the North, who still cling to these errors, with a zeal above knowledge, we justly denominate fanatics. All fanaticism springs from an aberration of the mind from a defect in reasoning. It is a species of insanity. One of the most striking characteristics of insanity, in many instances, is forming correct conclusions from fancied or erroneous premises; so with the anti-slavery fanatics. Their conclusions are right if their premises were. They assume that the negro is equal, and hence conclude that he is entitled to equal privileges and rights with the white man. If their premises were correct, their conclusions would be logical and just but their premise being wrong, their whole argument fails. I recollect once of having heard a gentleman from one of the northern States, of great power and ability, announce in the House of Representatives, with imposing effect, that we of the South would be compelled, ultimately, to yield upon this subject of slavery, that it was as impossible to war successfully against a principle in politics, as it was in physics or mechanics. That the principle would ultimately prevail. That we, in maintaining slavery as it exists with us, were warring against a principle, a principle founded in nature, the principle of the equality of men. The reply I made to him was, that upon his own grounds, we should, ultimately, succeed, and that he and his associates, in this crusade against our institutions, would ultimately fail. The truth announced, that it was as impossible to war successfully against a principle in politics as it was in physics and mechanics, I admitted; but told him that it was he, and those acting with him, who were warring against a principle. They were attempting to make things equal which the Creator had made unequal.

In the conflict thus far, success has been on our side, complete throughout the length and breadth of the Confederate States. It is upon this, as I have stated, our social fabric is firmly planted; and I cannot permit myself to doubt the ultimate success of a full recognition of this principle throughout the civilized and enlightened world.

As I have stated, the truth of this principle may be slow in development, as all truths are and ever have been, in the various branches of science. It was so with the principles announced by Galileo it was so with Adam Smith and his principles of political economy. It was so with Harvey, and his theory of the circulation of the blood. It is stated that not a single one of the medical profession, living at the time of the announcement of the truths made by him, admitted them. Now, they are universally acknowledged. May we not, therefore, look with confidence to the ultimate universal acknowledgment of the truths upon which our system rests? It is the first government ever instituted upon the principles in strict conformity to nature, and the ordination of Providence, in furnishing the materials of human society. Many governments have been founded upon the principle of the subordination and serfdom of certain classes of the same race; such were and are in violation of the laws of nature. Our system commits no such violation of nature’s laws. With us, all of the white race, however high or low, rich or poor, are equal in the eye of the law. Not so with the negro. Subordination is his place. He, by nature, or by the curse against Canaan, is fitted for that condition which he occupies in our system. The architect, in the construction of buildings, lays the foundation with the proper material-the granite; then comes the brick or the marble. The substratum of our society is made of the material fitted by nature for it, and by experience we know that it is best, not only for the superior, but for the inferior race, that it should be so. It is, indeed, in conformity with the ordinance of the Creator. It is not for us to inquire into the wisdom of His ordinances, or to question them. For His own purposes, He has made one race to differ from another, as He has made “one star to differ from another star in glory.” The great objects of humanity are best attained when there is conformity to His laws and decrees, in the formation of governments as well as in all things else. Our confederacy is founded upon principles in strict conformity with these laws. This stone which was rejected by the first builders “is become the chief of the corner” the real “corner-stone” in our new edifice. I have been asked, what of the future? It has been apprehended by some that we would have arrayed against us the civilized world. I care not who or how many they may be against us, when we stand upon the eternal principles of truth, if we are true to ourselves and the principles for which we contend, we are obliged to, and must triumph.

Remember this the next time that the usual suspects start talking about how the Civil War wasn’t about slavery.

Editor’s note: On March 16, 2011 the Caroline County Planning Commission had a public hearing regarding a proposed special exception permit to allow the extraction of sand and gravel at Black Marsh Farm in Skinkers Neck in northern Caroline County. Here is a guest commentary from “notgilbertshelton” since I have been too busy to write anything about the hearing:

I want to make some observations about the comments made during the March 16, 2011, meeting of the Caroline County Planning Commission.

Gilbert Shelton, who spoke for the Caroline County Countryside Alliance, stated that the reclaimed area that was previously mined at “Flintsher” [sic] (evidently referring to Flintshire Farm) was not being farmed now. He claimed that “Joe [Holloway] told me no one will farm it.” Someone is lying because James Richard Garrett and his sons are farming that land. Mr. Shelton was really absurd when he suggested that Vulcan would “move their equipment out each year before January 1 so they would not have to pay taxes” on it that year. And he stated that there is no way that the county will receive almost $100,000 in tax revenue if Vulcan is only investing $2,000,000 at Black Marsh. Did he purposely misrepresent the fact that Vulcan plans on investing $10,000,000, which Vulcan had specifically stated prior to Shelton’s diatribe? Some banker he must have been. Mr. Shelton also referred to “the Raines” as “an elderly couple”. Was he confusing Jane Raines Kizer and her cousin, Jim Raines, as a couple? Mr. Raines (who lived on the land adjacent to Black Marsh as a child) is a widower and Jane Raines Kizer (who owns the land) is married to Wade Kizer. It pays to know your allies and not call them elderly when they are ten to fifteen or more years younger than you (maybe Mr. Shelton’s advanced years are the problem.) Mr. Shelton referenced the “Kelo case” at least twice in his speech. The last thing he said before he left the podium was to tell the Planning Commission, “Remember the Kelo case.” I have no idea how he thinks that the case about “the use of eminent domain to transfer land from one private owner to another to further economic development” pertains to this. Was his reference meant as some kind threat? (The situation in the “Kelo case” cannot be duplicated in Virginia. Kudos goes to Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and also Senator Creigh Deeds for that.) Mr. Shelton has become the local bully since moving here. He uses lawsuits or the threat of lawsuits to try to intimidate the locals.

Nancy Long spoke, supposedly in the capacity of the mayor of Port Royal. (As an important note: some of the King George mines are closer to Port Royal than Black Marsh!) I understood her to say that “everyone who signed the [petition] list supporting Black Marsh Mining had something to do with gravel.” I know that there are signatures from people not having anything to do with gravel on those lists. Mrs. Long also expressed concern for the affect of the proposed mine on Haymount, which is laughable since she was an ardent protester of this development that received final approval on January 26, 1993. (And still has no houses.) But the most important thing was what Mrs. Long has not said: She has not disclosed that there is an ongoing lawsuit between her husband, Alex Long, and Albert Wachtmeister. Mr. Long filed a lawsuit against Mr. Wachtmeister for breach of contract in 2009. Mr. Long, while acting as Mr. Wachtmeister’s real estate agent, obtained a contract for the sale of some of Mr. Wachtmeister’s riverfront property near Moss Neck to Ennstone, Inc.(that is right, the sand and gravel company!). (This property is now in a conservation easement.) Could animosity from this lawsuit be fueling Mrs. Long’s zealous protests of Mr. Wachtmeister’s proposed mine? It is my understanding that she has gone to all the meetings concerning the Black Marsh Farms mining proposal including the work sessions with the county.

John Mitchell, who I think said he was from King George, was irate because he said if Black Marsh is mined then the mine might flood and he might not have access to White Marsh which he rents. White Marsh is lower in elevation than the proposed mine site so, duh, it would flood before the mine. As a side note there was some mention, I believe by Gilbert Shelton, of a “bird refuge” or “bird sanctuary” at White Marsh, which I find pathetic since Mr. Mitchell rents the land to hunt game and birds!

Vivian MacDonald who is ill and evidently cannot think clearly said that Vulcan and Mr. Wachmeister “are murdering me.” She said that she they “are basically holding a gun to my head.” She also said she “would not be able to open her windows” because of the mine. (She does not live near the proposed mine. She lives in Port Royal! And I reiterate, some of the King George mines are much closer to Port Royal than Black Marsh.)

John Lampman, president of the Portobago Homeowners’ Association, is worried about “the barges pushing silt into the channels of the river’s bays and creeks” so he proceeds to tell about the barge that went into Fredericksburg and got stuck in the sand and was fined for dredging the Rappahannock without a license. What does that have to do with the price of tea in China? I was on a 16 foot outboard ski boat in Fredericksburg a few years ago and we went a little ways above the city dock (but still below the Chatham Bridge) and got the boat stuck on a sandbar. We had to get out and push the boat and turn it around. The river is entirely different at Skinkers Neck than it is at Fredericksburg. (By the way, Mr. Lampman is considering running for the Republican nominee for delegate of the 99th District. I certainly hope not. That could make me support Catherine Crabill.)

There was a man (whose name that I did not get) who claimed to be an archeologist or knowledgeable in that field. He was concerned about Indian, and I think, colonial and antebellum artifacts on Black Marsh farm. He referred to “Townfield” at least twice and the “manor house and out buildings”. There has never been a home named “Townfield” in Skinkers Neck and there was never a “manor house” or “out buildings” on Black Marsh, only a farm house and a tenant house.

Mr. Tippett from the Friends of the Rappahannock went on and on about Canada geese and their droppings causing nitrogen and phosphorous in the river after Vulcan stated that the pond will be a closed pond. It will have no outlet to the river or any other streams. (There are at least five or six ponds and a lake in Skinkers Neck which all have outlets to the river.) Does he think that the geese that are here are notifying their pesky relatives in Canada to come on down as soon as there is another pond? Or are they just already here and breeding? Maybe Mr. Tippett should petition the Virginia Game Commission to lengthen the goose season and increase the bag limits and not pick on land owners. What next, land owners being told, “No pond for you!”

The caretaker of Senator and Mrs. Mark Warner’s property in King George read a prepared statement because Senator Warner was unable to attend. I did not agree with the statement but the Planning Commission gave the King George residents permission to state their views so they had that right, but I think perhaps Senator Warner should have someone else read his statement from now on. The caretaker’s petty, snide remarks that he added after he read the statement not only put the caregiver in a bad light but also Senator Warner. There was no reason to say something about how his “wife was a pretty good photographer” and that he “should have had her take some pictures of kids like the ones that were in the PowerPoint presentation so I could have shown them to the Planning Commission.” (Vulcan had shown some pictures of their community involvement in their presentation.)

The residents of King George need to stop moaning and groaning and take care of their own mines and landfill. (We had to put up with the methane smell from the landfill for a couple of years and it just recently got better. Some years ago we had to put up with the stench of the pigs at the meat packing plant. Did we go over and complain to the King George officials?) Do you realize that the mines in King George are closer to some of the Skinkers Neck residents than the proposed Black Marsh site is to Senator Warner’s house and some of the other King George complainers?

All the protesters need to get over it. Black Marsh is not their land. The deed does not have their names on it. We are supposed to be living in the United States of America not the United Socialist States of America.

Ideal Board of Supervisors district size (population / 5): 5,709 (districts need to be within 10% to survive Justice Department review and any possible court challenges)

Current District Population:

Bowling Green district

4,641

Madison district

9,818

Mattaponi district

4,988

Port Royal district

4,435

Reedy Church district

4,663

Not many surprises there, Madison had obviously grown significantly over the last ten years. Only real surprise to me is that I thought Mattaponi would have grown more than it has.

The real question is where are the districts going to go to make up the necessary population. The Bowling Green District can’t go very far south otherwise Supervisor Floyd Thomas will end up in that district and I have heard no indications that he isn’t planning on running for reelection at this point.

If the Bowling Green goes north, which was the consensus among the Board from what I had heard, it still needs to add 1,000 people and I don’t know if Port Royal and the surrounding area has enough people. It would probably need to take everything east of Route 2 to the Spotsylvania County line too. Unfortunately, given the limited amount of data that the Census Bureau has released, and its complete user-unfriendliness when it comes to accessing it, it is hard to tell right now.

The “Port Royal district” would then become the “Woodford district” and cut into the current Madison district and so on for the Mattaponi and Reedy Church Districts.

I started off the new semester of Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) by marveling at the outright government waste that makes up their spending decisions.

The university, in its infinite wisdom, decided to replace a large number of desks that were used for student seating. Now, while a modest number of seats were broken and in need of replacement, what did the university decide to replace the traditional style of desks with?

An alternative that costs over twice the price.

How do I know this? Because, I, as an enterprising young hate-blogger, know that state agencies are required to purchase their supplies, especially their furniture, through the Virginia Department of Corrections’ Correctional Enterprises.

Now, we need a table and two chairs for two students, which would cost $620, or $310 for seating space for one student, or over twice the price for a single desk.

And how much does it cost if you multiple the cost difference out over multiple rooms, floors, and buildings? For the sake of simplicity, assume ten rooms seating 30 students a piece over four floors. It would be $168,000 for the regular old desks while the table/chairs setup would be $372,000, or a waste of $204,000 to seat only 1,200 students.

And the university is wasting this level of money after they raised tuition 24% in the last academic year and the state has already threaten to reduce its share of the university’s funding?

And it isn’t just the cost, the table/chairs setup just doesn’t work in a majority of the rooms. The chairs don’t fit under the tables correctly, and since the seats closest (to the often times single) aisle are the first to go it, you end up with an inch or two of space for someone to squeeze through to get to the other seats.

All around, it’s a Charlie-Foxtrot and a massive waste of limited money the college has.